Ashley lowered her head even further.

Olivia approached, “Isn’t this... Ashley’s boyfriend? Why is he leaving so soon? Won’t he stay for dinner?”

John glared intensely at Emily.

Emily was about to say something when Olivia, noticing John’s expression, pulled her back.

Emily snorted, and turned to go upstairs.

Olivia called the butler to escort John out.

After John left, Olivia looked at the two kneeling on the ground, and smiled,

“Huh, what a sorry sight. Well, it’s not a big dear, isn’t it?”

Ashley stiffly stood up, followed by Melissa, who immediately bent to speak to Olivia.

Before she could speak, Ashley grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

Back in their room, Ashley silently stared at Melissa.

Melissa, back to her usual meek demeanor, started crying, choking out, “Ashley, do you think your mom has no dignity? But I had no choice. We have to survive somehow...”

Ashley looked at her mother’s hand, cut by the ceramic shard, and the blood-stained hole in her clothes...

She felt as if a cold wind was blowing through a bloody hole in her own heart.

This was her weak, pitiful, and subservient mother.

Seeing Ashley ignore her, Melissa panicked and grabbed her hand, “Ashley, I didn’t mean it. I was just afraid you’d get into another fight with Second Miss.

“What if she hits you again? You—”

Ashley, fed up with her mother’s excuses, pulled her hand back and hoarsely said, “I want to rest now. Please leave.”

“Ashley.”

“Get out!”

With tears in her eyes, Melissa reluctantly left the room.

Once outside, she was stopped by someone.

A moment later, footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Ashley thought Melissa had returned, and looked toward the door with red-rimmed eyes.

Just as she was about to speak, Brian entered.

Ashley was shocked, “Mr.”

Brian stood there shirtless, a cigarette between his fingers.

He didn’t smoke, allowing the smoke to curl upward, twisting like a string of eerie characters beside him.

He flicked the ash.

It flew to Ashley’s face, not burning but irritatingly itchy.

He spoke softly, “I have a cat that likes to go out and flirt. Ashley, what should I do?”

Ashley trembled, staring at Brian.

It was her first time seeing his eyes so closely.

His hawk-like eyes, slightly curved by a smile that didn’t reach them, seemed frozen over.

Deep in those dark eyes, something seemed to be rolling, giving the black irises a deep blue hue.

Blue?

Ashley was momentarily distracted.

She remembered Mrs Quinn’s eyes were a normal black, while Mr. Quinn’s eyes had a smoky grey hue due to mixed ancestry.

But black and grey couldn’t born a child with deep blue eyes.

Ashley quickly gathered her thoughts and murmured, “Mr, your cat... isn’t flirting.”

Brian pressed his fingers against her lips, “How do you know?”

Ashley instinctively sucked on Brian’s fingertip.

Her clumsy tongue tried to please the owner of the fingers.

And her hands rested on his waist, using awkward techniques to soothe him.

“Mr.’s cat will always be Mr.’s cat.” Ashley was gambling.

Gambling that Olivia had exaggerated her relationship with John, but Brian didn’t fully believe her.

Indeed, Brian chuckled.

Soon, Brian left Ashley’s room.

At the staircase, he saw Olivia standing there.

Her expression changed when she saw him, but she finally smiled and took his arm, “Brian, why were you in Ashley’s room?”

“Just some business.”

Olivia casually touched her lower abdomen, “I went to the hospital for a blood test this morning, the doctor said I’m pregnant.”

Brian raised an eyebrow, “I will prepare the wedding within three months.”

Olivia smiled contentedly, “Of course, I don’t wanna wear wedding dress with a big belly.”

As they went upstairs together, Olivia chatted excitedly about her wedding plans.

Brian flicked his cigarette butt into the ashtray.

Watching the embers slowly die out, his smile faded.

...

In the evening, Ashley had just finished applying medicine.

But someone suddenly pushed the door open.

She turned to see Mrs Quinn standing there with a dark expression, “Mrs?”

She got up.

“Get out here!”

Mrs Quinn’s fierce expression made Ashley instinctively anxious.

She followed her nervously to the living room where the maids were kneeling.

And Olivia was sitting on the sofa, crying.

Her bag was in the center of the coffee table, its contents spilled out.

The sofa cushions were askew, and the carpet was out of place.

It looked like someone had been searching for something.

Ashley had a bad feeling.

Before she could speak, Melissa, with red eyes, came over and grabbed her wrist,

“Ashley, give Miss. James’s thing back to her!”

Ashley was stunned, “what?”

“My ring,” Olivia, with red eyes, looked at her with grievance, “Ashley, did you steal my engagement ring?”

Memories flashed by quickly, and Ashley instinctively recalled everything related to Olivia.

Aside from the condom last time, she hadn’t taken anything from her.

She thought, “Oh, no. There was also a check, but that was given by Brian.”

Ashley took a deep breath and shook her head, “I didn’t take it.”

“If not you, then who?”

Mrs Quinn’s face was dark, clearly believing it was Ashley, “In this house, who else?”

Ashley bit her lip, stubbornly looking at Olivia, “Miss. James, I only saw you twice today; once when you entered in the morning, and once when Second Miss punished me.

“In those two meetings, I even did not see your bag or touch your ring!”

The continuous trouble exhausted Ashley physically and mentally, making her feel an unprecedented sense of helplessness.

As if even passing dogs could bully her!

Olivia’s face froze, turning pale immediately, “What do you mean? Are you saying I’m framing you?”

“I didn’t say that,” Ashley said coldly, “I’m just stating facts. Stating the fact that I’ve never seen or touched that ring, and its loss has nothing to do with me!”

“Pop—”

A heavy slap struck, making Ashley’s head turn to the side.

The slapped area burned hotly, swelling instantly.

Ashley licked her lips.

As expected, it was broken again.

Mrs Quinn, her chest heaving with anger, “How dare you!”

Seeing Mrs Quinn enraged, Melissa’s tone became more urgent, “Ashley, apologize, apologize!”

Ashley looked at her, “what? do you want me to kneel again?”